Aug 17, 2011

Shop Window Basics

Arranging store windows is a critical marketing effort retail stores undertake. That blank space offers a fantastic opportunity to shape customer opinion, convey a message about the store image & convince the customer they need to come in. Print media also depends on their arrangements to lure customers. Similarly, our Etsy store fronts provide us a valuable marketing opportunity. 

Colors are balanced and lighting is strong by mascarajones

We've all seen them. You enter an Etsy store and feel affronted. The colors are askew, lighting is inconsistent & the page lacks a sense of balance. While you might take a cursory glance, stores that look this way appear jumbled & disorganized to our minds and we generally leave quickly. 

 A poorly designed shop. Colors are clustered together, there is no unification. 


Having an organized and visually balanced shop is critical for one major reason. Our customers are looking at a computer screen. The glare, lighting, tiny fonts & eye strain all make for a shopping challenge. If we counter that by providing a calm, balanced and well lit space, their eyes will relax and enjoy wandering throughout our shops. 

The same shop, redone. Colors & materials are balanced out. 

Our shops should be staged every day. Like putting a front page worthy treasury together, your shop should look fresh, coordinated and well thought out. If you have a bunch of similarly colored items, spread them out to help the eye balance. Perhaps you have several tiny or large items. Treat them the same as colored items and balance the shop out. 

Excellent use of color & lighting. I want to look more! By marybethhale

Keep in mind what your shop looks like above the fold. Meaning, what does your shop look like on a standard laptop screen? Good web designers think about this when building new websites. What that section of your shop looks like is very critical-it is the only impression many potential customers will get. Many will not scroll down if they're not tempted by those top lines. 


Great use of color, balance & subject matter by goodlookin

I don't rearrange my whole shop every day-that would be a time waster. But if we're listing, I do make sure items are balanced in order to compliment each other. One thing I do do daily is change my featured items. Even just moving the same items around freshens the shop and can give a totally different look. 


A balanced, relaxed and fascinating shop by hurstdesigns


By treating our shops as retail space, we'll bring a more professional feel to them. That's critical in building trust and reliability, two qualities we all need to convey this holiday season. 












7 comments:

Happily Era After and The Vintage Reader Etsy Shops said...

Well now I feel my shop looks messy by comparison! LOL. I never thought of doing this. Are you suggesting this for the entire store or just the first page? Also, is everyone shying away from the "list" format? All these shops are not using them. Just curious.
Great info!
Thank you

Anonymous said...

Such helpful suggestions. I, too, am curious about the "list" vs. "gallery" question. Which is most enticing to customers?

Anonymous said...

Love this blog! But I just figured out I need to go and retake all my photos now. Started moving things around as they are and got a major headache!!! Looks like I know what I will be doing all weekend :-(

Callooh Callay said...

Great post!

Re "list" vs. "gallery": How customers view the shop is up to them, not you--everyone chooses their own preferred mode to view it in. I prefer browsing in gallery, but switch to list if I need to read titles, but I'm sure everyone does it differently. However, I crop photos for gallery, since that's the view used in treasuries (and how the shop looks its best).

ArtfulVintage said...

Excellent post! It is always my intention to change my featured items daily, but I don't. Thanks for reminding me how important it is.

art deco dame said...

I love rearranging my shop!

Lea's Attic said...

Thank you for the excellent advice! Lea